


Missing In Action

by Mostcrazylady



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-28
Updated: 2015-03-28
Packaged: 2018-03-20 02:01:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3632427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mostcrazylady/pseuds/Mostcrazylady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A missing scene for 'The Debt' with dialog from Becky's transcripts</p>
<p>Was Blair really unconcerned about Larry's disappearance or was that just an act?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Missing In Action

Blair finished his call with the secretary in the Grants Office and morosely hung up the phone. He supposed that a short reprieve was better than none at all. With the chairman out of town for two weeks, he should have enough time to find Larry and complete his observations on the little Barbary ape. Failing that, he’d have to either come up with a paper using the data he’d already collected on Larry or pay back the grant money he’d been given for his study. 

He wished that his conversation with the Primate Behavioral Lab had gone half as well. He’d been reminded of the ton of paperwork he’d filled out and signed before they’d even allowed him to take Larry off campus. One of those papers had stated that he would accept full responsibility for Larry’s well-being and would be liable for the cost of replacing him if anything were to happen. At the time, he had joked that it was like adopting a kid but he didn’t think it was so funny now. The expense of replacing Larry was more than the grant he’d received for his study. 

Blair sighed and began preparing breakfast in the hopes of staying on Jim’s good side. He needed time to get together enough money for a new place to live. That would be difficult since he had to replace text books and other personal items that had been destroyed when the warehouse had exploded. Too bad he hadn’t been able to afford renter’s insurance. Jim was being a good sport about the trashing of his home saying not to worry, he had insurance that would cover replacement of anything that had been ruined, but Blair felt obligated to replace the destroyed items anyway. After all, the damage wouldn’t have occurred if he hadn’t brought Larry into Jim’s home. Add to that total the amount he’d owe the Primate Lab if Larry wasn’t returned safe and sound and the possible repayment of his grant money, Blair figured he was in deep shit. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Blair noticed Jim coming down the stairs and determinedly put a pleasant expression on his face. There was no way he’d let Jim know how upset he was about this whole situation. After all, his finances weren’t Jim’s problem and he didn’t want to alienate him with his whining. He couldn’t afford to lose another subject, especially the one he was studying for his dissertation.

“Come and get it!” he called out cheerfully. “Eggs are almost done, scrambled firm just the way you like them, right? Good morning. Have a seat, man.” 

Jim sat at the table and admitted to himself that the food smelled good and it sure was nice to have a home-cooked breakfast for a change. Looked to him like Sandburg was bending over backwards to prove his usefulness. He suspiciously eyed his houseguest.

“If you think this little courtship ritual here is going to change my mind about throwing your butt out of here...” he began.

“No, no, no, no.” Blair shook his head in denial. “If Larry can survive out there without a roof over his head, I'm, I'm sure that I can too.” 

For a moment Blair flashed back on the summer he’d spent sleeping in a homeless shelter. There’d been a glitch in the paperwork that left his name off the list of students that were going on a trip to observe a native village in Alaska. By the time he found out, it was too late to make arrangements to stay in the dorm and he couldn’t get in contact with his mother to send him enough money to live somewhere else. He’d spent the first few nights sleeping in the park until that drunk had tried to get a little too friendly with him. The homeless shelter wasn’t much better, but at least he had a roof over his head and could spend the night without getting molested in his sleep. Not one of his more pleasant memories.

Jim frowned. “I thought you were panicked about your project. What happened?”

Blair shrugged nonchalantly and reminded himself to stay cool. Over the years, he’d become an expert at keeping his true feelings to himself and not giving anything away. 

“Well, I was. Then I called the Grants Office in order to get an extension, and it turns out that the department chairman has been called out of town for two weeks. So I have ample time to procure myself a new subject. I don't know. I'm thinking something small, sweet. Maybe a nice orangutan -- something like that. I don't know.” 

Yeah, right, he added to himself. There was no way the lab would trust him with another of their animals after what had happened with Larry.

“What the hell happened to your old subject?” Jim asked. 

Blair pictured Larry hiding in a trash strewn alley, alone, hungry and afraid. Or worse, his crumpled, bloody body lying on the street under the wheels of a bus.

He shrugged again. “Who, Larry? I don't know. Animal Control's still looking for him and until they find him... Well, I'm all yours, little buddy.” 

Jim nodded and Blair breathed a sigh of relief. It looked like Jim had fallen for his act and wasn’t going to question his cavalier attitude toward Larry’s fate. Truth was, he’d grown attached to the little ape in the short time he’d had him. Having to come up with the money to pay the lab would hurt but not nearly as much as finding Larry injured or dead. He just wanted Larry back safe and sound.


End file.
